Yet Another Day
by UnsightlyDreams
Summary: "I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed running," I admitted, running my hand through my hair. I continued to look everywhere but right at him. "But with you around, it isn't quite so bad." (Newt/OC) Set in the Scorch Trials. Movieverse only.


"Alexandra."

"Nyssa."

"Argo."

The names blurred as I leaned back in my seat, throwing Aris a worried look. "Are you okay?"

"What?" He looked up briefly before lowering his gaze to the lone apple on his plate. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just… fine."

"Aris –,"

" _Anna_."

"Alright, fine," I threw up my hands, letting out a soft laugh. "I trust you."

"Yeah –,"

" _Teresa_! Hey! Teresa!"

The sudden shouting made us whip our heads around in unison, where the new guy was trying to force his way out of the room. For a brief moment, I actually thought the guards would punch him, but then Janson intervened. The altercation left everyone feeling a little uneasy – I could see discreet stares being directed between friends or people from the same mazes. One of the guys on the new guy's table groaned into his arms.

I had a sudden feeling new guy was always this impulsive.

"Wow," I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. "He sure knows how to make an entrance."

I had expected Aris to agree – or at least to make a sudden quip, but he only looked thoughtful. When I followed his gaze, he was staring at the new guy.

"Aris. Earth to Aris." When I snapped my fingers in front of his face, he jerked slightly to give me a small smile. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I just… had an idea."

Back then, I didn't know how much trouble his ' _idea'_ would lead us into. But then again, I didn't think I would've stopped him anyway.

 **{X}**

"New day, huh?" I slumped into my seat, trying my hardest to at least muster some interest in the food before us. It was _hard_. "Think today's our day?"

"I don't think so." Aris, for some reason, looked even smaller than yesterday. The sudden rush of fondness I felt looking at him was expected – being the only guy in our maze, Aris had been _pretty_ helpful. Again, it helped that we were the only two left. I expected to be called today for that reason alone.

But when Janson finished rolling up his scroll, I was still left sitting on the table.

"Bummer," I shrugged my shoulder. "Apple?"

But Aris wasn't looking at me. When I followed his gaze back, I saw New Guy again, trying to infiltrate the headquarters.

He failed miserably, but I'd be the first to admit he had guts.

This time, I really was surprised nobody ended up punching his face in.

New Guy's friends surrounded him, and as they were ushered out, Aris turned to me, frowning. "Anna, you remember how I… went on a trip last night, right?"

When I nodded hesitantly, he clenched his jaw. "Okay, listen, I need you to be prepared tonight."

"Prepared for what?"

"Prepared to _run_."

…

My heart dropped to my toes at the sentence. "Prepared to run?! Aris, we're safe here. We're okay! We're –,"

"Thomas and I saw something last n –"

"Who the hell is Thomas?"

"The guy we just saw. Listen, Anna, I just need you to trust me. Something's going on here, and I don't trust it."

There were very many moments in my life where I've been called naïve – hell, when I'd first entered our Maze, Sarah told me all of us were required to dunk our heads in the mosh pit and I'd actually believed her. But Aris was… Aris was my friend. I couldn't _not_ trust him.

"Okay." I took a deep breath. "I'll be waiting for you."

 **{X}**

Aris' pacing was driving me crazy. "Will you stop that?" I snapped, curling my arms around my knees. "You're making things worse."

"I know, I know," He let out a weary groan, rubbing his fingers over his face tiredly. "It's just… Do you trust everyone here?"

"I trust _you_ ," I muttered, rubbing patterns on my worn jeans.

"That's…" Aris paused, only briefly, before ducking under the bed. "You'll be ready if I tell you to run, right?"

"Of course."

He disappeared then, leaving me alone. The silence was unnerving – it had been unnerving ever since the day everyone but Aris and I had been taken away. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss them. They were my _sisters_. And now they were gone.

There was a sudden noise from below my bed, and when I knelt down to check, Aris' worried face swam into view. "Hey, you –,"

"We have to go."

"What?"

" _Now_ , Anna! Move!"

Almost on reflex, I pushed myself forward when a hand clamped onto my arm, stopping me. "She isn't going anywhere until you tell us what's going on!" I'd completely missed the other guy with Aris – his breath was warm against my ears. I considered pushing him away, but his grip was a tad too strong.

Plus, he wasn't doing anything. Not yet, at least.

Aris looked conflicted, his lips puckering as he almost scowled at us. "We never left, okay? WICKED is still alive! I saw them!"

"Saw what?"

"That woman! The one they told us was dead!"

"Paige?" I dragged the memory from somewhere, remembering the recording they'd played for us. "But… she shot herself!"

"Trust me, she's alive."

"Stick!" Other Guy cursed, dropping my arm. "Alright then, shank. Lead the way."

Odd, wasn't it, that most friendships were formed smack in the middle of the ring of fire?

But when we found ourselves outside the Headquarters, opening the door for Thomas and his friends, I couldn't quite find myself regretting it. The sandy-haired one was the only one looking at us speculatively as everyone else tried to figure out a route outside.

"Anna," I said after enduring his perusal for a minute or so.

His eyes narrowed. "Newt."

The doors shuddered open, and the sandstorm outside almost made me want to curl into myself and never move. Then Aris grabbed my hand and pulled me forward.

"Did I mention," I heaved loudly on top of a sand hill, "How much I hate running?"

Predictably, no one replied.

 **{X}**

 **A/N: Utterly, completely movieverse. Book!canon ain't welcome.**

 **Fic is dedicated to Tsuekasa, whose love for Newt gave me an appropriate outlet for exam-time procrastination.**


End file.
